The overweight: a rare presentation of celiac disease

Eur J Clin Nutr. 2016 Feb;70(2):282-4. doi: 10.1038/ejcn.2015.169. Epub 2015 Oct 28.

Abstract

We describe the nutritional status of a cohort of celiac disease (CD) children at presentation and during follow-up on gluten-free diet (GFD). Two Italian centers (Rome and Bari) prospectively enrolled 445 biopsy-confirmed CD children, diagnosed between 2009 and 2013. Body Mass Index was used as a measure of nutritional status according to Italian growth charts of Cacciari. The overweight/obese subject was 7.8% at onset and did not significantly increase during follow-up (9.8% at final assessment). The prevalence of overweight/obesity was significantly higher among males than females. Furthermore, overweight/obesity children as compared with those with normal weight were significantly older and had significantly lower levels of tTG antibodies. This study shows that some CD children are obese/overweight at diagnosis; therefore, overweight/obesity can be considered a rare but a possible mode of CD presentation. Thus, CD diagnosis must be considered even in overweight/obese children where this diagnosis can be easily missed.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study

MeSH terms

  • Body Mass Index
  • Celiac Disease / etiology*
  • Celiac Disease / physiopathology
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Italy / epidemiology
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Male
  • Nutritional Status
  • Obesity / complications*
  • Obesity / epidemiology
  • Overweight / complications*
  • Overweight / epidemiology
  • Prevalence
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Sex Factors